Tube measuring gauge



y 26, 1 L. E. HOLLAND 3,513,556

TUBE MEASURING GAUGE Filed April 4, 1968 INVENTOR LAWRENCE E. HOLLAND WmWm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,513,556 TUBE MEASURING GAUGE LawrenceE. Holland, Hartsville, S.C., assignor to Sonoco Products Company,Hartsville, S.C., a corporation of South Carolina Filed Apr. 4, 1968,Ser. No. 718,681 Int. Cl. G01]: 5/08 U.S. Cl. 33178 4 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A gauge for measuring the inner diameter of a tubecomprising a tapered sleeve slidably mounted on a rod and yieldinglyspring loaded into a stop position which is moved into grippingengagement with the inner wall of a tube into which the sleeve isinserted to overcome the spring pressure and thereby provide anindication of the inner diameter of the tube by registration of the tubeend with indicia on the outer surface of the sleeve.

This invention relates to a gauge and more particularly to a gauge formeasuring the inner diameter of a tube.

In the manufacture of tubes and in particular spirally wound, multi-plypaper tubes, variations in the inner diameter of the tube occur whichare unavoidable with the use of present-day tube winding techniques.Such paper tubes and in particular paper tubes used in the winding oftextile material such as yarn are generally required to be fitted ontodriving spindles or the like. In the winding of textile material, thearrangement for obtaining a driving connection between the spindle andthe inner wall of the tube generally permits some variation in the tubeinner diameter but with such present-day tube manufacturing techniquesthese variations occasionally exceed or fall below the permitted rangeof variations so that either a driving connection is not obtained or thetube does not fit onto the spindle. As is well known, in a paper tubeproduction line, tube inner diameters can change quite unerpectedly fromthe permitted range of tolerances with the result that many defectivetubes may be produced and shipped before the cause of the defect isobserved and corrected. Since such tubes are sold in relatively largenumbers and since such tubes are manufactured at a high production rate,the monitoring of the inner diameters of such tubes to maintain thedesired size has posed a serious problem.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a new andnovel gauge for measuring the inner diameter of a tube.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel handoperated gauge which may be operated efficiently and quickly by anunskilled operator to measure variations in the inner diameter of papertubes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and novel gaugefor measuring the variations in the inner diameter of a paper tube whichquickly indicates excessive variations in the tube diameter so as topermit corrective measures to be taken in a high speed tube productionline.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a new and novelgauge for measuring variations in the inner diameter of paper tubeswhich is simple and inexpensive in construction, which may be used by arelatively unskilled operator and which is foolproof in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing.

The objects stated above and other related objects of this invention areaccomplished by providing a support "ice rod on which a measuring sleeveis positioned in freely slidable concentric relationship therewith. Theouter diameter of the sleeve is tapered radially outward from the frontend of the sleeve and yieldable urging means are provided for urging thesleeve front end into engagement with stop means provided on the rod.Indicia are provided on the outer surface of the sleeve so thatinsertion of the sleeve into one end of the bore of a tube moves thesleeve into gripping engagement with the tube to overcome the urgingmeans and move the rod forwardly relative to the sleeve whereupon theregistration of the tube with the indicia provides a reading of the tubeinner diameter.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of theinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its organization and operation maybe best understood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view partially in section of the gauge of the inventionin association with a tube to be measured;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is showna gauge constructed in accordance with the invention and which isdesignated generally by the letter G. As will be explained in detailhereinafter, the gauge G is used to measure the inner diameter of a tubesuch as a paper tube designated generally in FIG. 1 by the letter T.

The gauge G includes a support rod 11 having a front end 12 and a rearend 13 which is preferably secured in a socket 14 of a handle 16 usingsuitable means such as a set screw 17. A measuring sleeve 18 having acentral bore 19 is positioned on the rod 12 in freely slidable,concentric relationship therewith as shown best in FIG. 3 with the outerdiameter of the sleeve tapered radially outward from the sleeve frontend 1811 to the sleeve rear end 18b to provide a rearwardly taperingouter surface 19.

Stop means are positioned on the rod 12 adjacent the rod outer end 12afor limiting the forward movement of the sleeve 18. More specifically, awasher 21 is positioned adjacent the rod end 1211 within a suitablegroove or the like which is arranged to be engaged by the sleeve frontend 18a.

Means are provided for yieldingly urging the sleeve 18 forwardly on therod 12 in the direction of the arrow I to yieldingly maintain the sleevefront end 18a into abutting engagement with the washer 21. Morespecifically, a coil spring 22 is positioned as shown in FIG. 1 insurrounding relationship with the rod 12 between the forward face 16a ofthe handle 16 and the rear end 18b of the sleeve 18.

Indexing means are associated with the rod 12 on the sleeve 18 forindicating the relative position of the sleeve 18 and rod 12 when thespring 22 is compressed during the use of the gauge G as will beexplained hereinafter. More specifically, an L-shaped bracket designatedgenerally by the numeral 23 is secured by suitable means such as a screw24 to the sleeve 18 adjacent the sleeve rear end 18b for movementtherewith. The bracket 23 includes an arm 26 which is receivable withina recess 27 provided in the handle 16 as shown. An indexing mark 28which may be in the form of a groove or the like is provided on the arm26 and the mark 28 is arranged to index with the forward face 16a of thehandle 16 during the accommodation of the arm 26 in the handle recess27.

Indicia are provided on the outer surface 19 of the sleeve 18 forindicating the inner diameter of the measured tube T. More specifically,a longitudinally extending flat 31, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 is providedon the sleeve surface 19 and the flat 31 is provided with uniformlyspaced graduations 32 such as grooves 01' the like corresponding to theinner diameter of the tubes to be measured. In the illustratedembodiment, the spacing between graduations 32 are in on-thousandths ofan inch and, as one example where the tube T is to be produced with aninner diameter of 0.645 inch, numerical indicia are included with thegraduations 32 for indicating tube inner diameters within the range of0.635 to 0.655 inch as shown inscribed on the sleeve 18 in FIG. 1.

In the operation of the gauge G, the tube T to be measured has an innerwall 33 defining a central bore 34 and an end 36. The operator graspsthe gauge handle 16 and the forward end of the gauge G is inserted intothe tube bore 34. The gradually tapering outer surface 19 of the sleeve18 permits the sleeve 18 to move into the tube bore 34 to the extent atwhich the tube inner wall 33 moves into snug-fitting or grippingengagement with the sleeve surface 19. When this gripping engagement hasbeen established between the tube T and sleeve 18, further movement ofthe sleeve 18 within the tube bore 34 is restrained and the urging forceof the spring 22 is overcome whereby the rod 12 moves further into thetube bore 34 relative to the sleeve 18.

As the wall of the paper tube T is relatively weak, the force requiredto compress the spring 22 is selected so that very little deformation ifany of the tube occurs during the insertion of the gauge G into the tubebore 34 and before the spring 22 is compressed. As a further safeguardand to insure uniformity in the measurement of various tube diameters,the rod 12 is moved by the operator relative to the sleeve 18 and thespring 22 compressed until the mark 28 coincides with the handle frontface 16a. A reading may then be taken either at that time or after thespring 22 has been permitted to expand and move the rod back to theposition of FIG. 1 by observing the registration of the tube end 36 withthe graduations 32 on the sleeve 18.

If, in the example given above, the tube inner diameter is smaller thanthe prescribed diameter of 0.645 inch, the tube end 36 will registerwith the graduations 32 at a point closer to the sleeve front end 18athan the graduation 0.645 as shown in FIG. 1 wherein a somewhat smallerdiameter of 0.641 inch has been measured. Tube inner diameters which arelarger than the prescribed diameter of 0.645 inch will therefore producea reading greater than 0.645 inch as the sleeve 18 will enter the tubebore 34 to a greater distance with the tube end 36 registering with thegraduation closer to the sleeve rear end 18b.

While there has been described what at present is considered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A gauge formeasuring the inner diameter of a tube having a bore comprising, incombination, a support rod, a measuring sleeve positioned on saidsupport rod in freely slidable, concentric relationship therewith, saidsleeve having an outer diameter tapered radially outwardly from thefront end of said sleeve, stop means on said rod adjacent the front endof said rod for limiting the forward movement of said sleeve on saidrod, means for yieldingly urging said sleeve forwardly on said rodtoward engagement with said stop means, and providing gauging pressuremeans to indicate the achievement of a desired gauging pressureincluding cooperating indices, one fixed relative to the sleeve, theother fixed relative to the rod diameter indicating indicia on the outersurface of said sleeve, said sleeve being arranged to be inserted intoone end of the bore of a tube to produce a gripping engagement betweenthe inner wall of said tube and said sleeve for overcoming said urgingmeans and for moving said rod relative to said sleeve whereby the.registration of said tube one end with said diameter indicating indiciaprovides a reading of the inner diameter of said tube when thecooperating indices are properly registered.

2. A gauge in accordance with 'claim 1 including a handle secured to therear end of said rod and wherein said urging means include a coil springsurrounding said rod between said handle and the rear end of saidsleeve.

3. A gauge in accordance with claim 1 wherein said indicating meansinclude a bracket supported on said sleeve, said bracket having an armextending rearwardly from said sleeve rear end and in parallelrelationship with the axis of said rod, a recess in said handle, saidrecess being arranged to accommodate said arm during movement of saidrod relative to said sleeve and said one index is a mark on said arm forindexing with said handle to indicate the relative position of saidsleeve and said rod at which said readings are to be taken.

4. A gauge in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stop means include awasher positioned on said rod adjacent said rod outer end and includinga handle and wherein said indicating means include a bracket supportedon said sleeve, said bracket having an arm extending rearwardly fromsaid sleeve rear end and in parallel relationship with the axis of saidrod, a recess in said handle, said recess being arranged to accommodatesaid arm during the movement of said rod relative to said sleeve, saidone mark is a mark on said arm for indexing with said handle to indicatethe relative position of said sleeve and said rod at which said readingsare to be taken, and said handle is secured to the rear end of said rod,and wherein said urging means include a coil spring surrounding said rodbetween said handle in the rear end of said sleeve, a longitudinallyextending flat on the outer surface of said sleeve and wherein saiddiameter indicating indicia includes a plurality of uniformly spacedgraduations on said fiat for registration with said tube end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,617,201 11/1952 Davies 33l78FOREIGN PATENTS 588,788 1933 Germany.

LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner S. L. STEPHAN, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 33-162, 168

